A paramedic has told how knackered NHS workers are being forced out of the city they work in due to unaffordable rent hikes.
Logan Vaughn, 31, who lives in Glasgow with his partner, is now paying almost £500 more per month in rent just to get to shifts after receiving an eviction notice on his previous tenancy in August.
The pair faced the prospect of becoming homeless within days after weeks of struggling to find accommodation, until they had the opportunity to take over a friend’s tenancy last month.
The landlord accepted them, but there was a catch: the rent increased from £750 to a staggering £1,200.
Logan told The Record” “It’s an extortionate amount of money, but we were out of options.
“I’m newly qualified and doing relief work. The shifts are long and I need to be close to several ambulance stations within Glasgow.
“Work is non-stop, and you just want to get home, especially after a night shift.
“More experienced colleagues often live outside the city because it’s impossible to afford raising a family here.
“But they face long commutes and for those of us just starting, it’s worse without funds for a car – relying instead on public transport. “You can imagine what that’s like when you’re exhausted and your shift has already run over.
“We’re at the limit of what we can afford and our standard of living has become very poor. If the rent goes up again, I’d have to request a transfer, which would obviously impact the NHS in the city.”
Logan has spoken out following action by the Living Rent tenants’ union, protesting against the lack of affordable housing in Glasgow. Campaigners believe the city council is failing to address the soaring rents.
Latest statistics show average rents for private lets increased by an astonishing 86.2% between 2010 and 2023.
Campaigners are urging the council to adopt a national framework requiring a minimum of 25% affordable housing in all new developments.
Bianca Lopez, Chair of Living Rent Glasgow, said: “Healthcare workers keep our city running, but time and again, they are forced to leave Glasgow due to unaffordable rents and the lack of social housing.
“Glasgow City Council is failing to defend the needs of those who keep the city going, those who have lived in their communities for years, and those struggling on poverty wages. Instead, they repeatedly prioritise luxury flats and developers’ profits.
“Decades of underinvestment in social housing, an out-of-control private sector, and the prioritisation of luxury developments have driven rents to astronomic levels, trapping tenants in insecure, unsafe, expensive, and undignified housing.
“GCC declared a housing emergency last year, but since then, they’ve failed to back it up with meaningful action.
“New luxury developments push up rents and gentrify our neighborhoods. GCC has the power to deliver much more affordable housing by adopting NPF4 and forcing developers to build the homes Glasgow needs. Glasgow needs social housing, not luxury flats.”
Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie said his constituents are regularly coming to him, facing rent increases of up to 60%.
“Logan’s example not only shows how high rents exploit individuals but also how they are bad for society,” he said.
“Everybody relies on the NHS to be well-staffed, as well as schools and other vital services, but housing must be affordable for these to function properly.
“Glasgow City Council can do more to build new housing, but there are other solutions, such as robust rent controls, which should be introduced through the new housing bill. However, I’m worried the Scottish Government is watering it down.
“Rent controls were brought in temporarily after the pandemic, but we need permanent legislation. The Scottish Greens will be advocating for robust controls to ensure housing is affordable.”
In response, a Glasgow City Council spokesperson said: “Almost half of all homes built in Glasgow in recent years— a trend that will continue for the foreseeable future—are affordable, well above the 25% target set in the NPF4 policy and higher than any other local authority in Scotland.
“Our affordable housing policy is guided by the need for such homes in the city, with targets based on Glasgow’s Local Development Plan.”
The Scottish Government has been approached for comment.
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